Honest Fear
by SeverusSnapesSlytherinGirl
Summary: Minerva McGonagall is an extraordinarily gifted witch and this has not gone unnoticed. A one-shot explaining McGonagall's boggart turning into Tom/Voldemort and perhaps why she fears him. Or at least explaining the building blocks of her fear.


Authors Note: I am simply in love with Minerva McGonagall. She is such a fantastic character! Truly a woman to look up to. I admire her greatly for her strengths and have decided to write something involving her. Now we all know that she went to school with Tom Riddle, but we don't know if they knew each other personally. We also know that her boggart is Voldemort and yet she isn't afraid to speak his name. So what if her boggart wasn't really Voldemort but Tom and it merely took on the appearance of Tom as he looked at the time? I was pondering that and decided to write this. Oddly enough the song 'Brave' by was playing while I was writing this.

Chapter One_: Simply extraordinary _

Tom Morvolo Riddle did not need people in the sense that many others needed people. He never felt lonely or longed for company or companionship. He did not need another person to entertain him. He was capable of doing everything on his own. But it wasn't as though he did not have people around him; there were those who looked up to him and wanted to follow him and there were those he manipulated into doing whatever he wanted doing. In reality he manipulated them all whether they were aware of it or not.

Tom had been manipulating the people around him for the better half of nearly three years. He however was no fool. He knew that Professor Dumbledore kept an eye on him; ever since he'd let slip that he could communicate with snakes three years earlier. Professor Dumbledore wasn't like the other teachers; all of whom were wrapped snuggling around Tom's pinky.

He was an extraordinary student. He passed all of his classes with nothing lower than Outstanding. He was polite, inquisitive, quite and respectful. He was Hogwarts star pupil. He was never in trouble and yet….

For some reason he could not seem to get the Transfigurations Professor to like him. And due to that fact Tom developed a loathing for the Professor. He however continued being as respectful and polite as possible and continued to get Outstanding grades.

No Tom didn't need anybody. He however enjoyed ensnaring new people into his web of control and over the course of October he set his sights on someone he believed worthy of ensnaring.

Minerva McGonagall was a rather average fourteen-year-old witch from the Gryffindor house. She was rather tall for her age with peach cream skin, lazy blue eyes, slender brows and thin pink lips. Despite her otherwise un-extraordinary physical appearance and appeal her magical abilities were outstanding. This was what captured Tom Morvolo Riddle's attention.

He had, had few encounters with McGonagall not only due to the fact that she was in another house but that she was a year older than him. This presented an intriguing problem for the third-year Slytherin. He knew it wouldn't be impossible for him to weasel his way into seeing the witch first hand more often. He would simply have to play his cards right; which he did.

Tom began getting all assignments in his year done as early and as quickly as he was capable off. He had managed to do more than was expected till after Christmas academically and thus reported to the Head Master requesting to take extra classes with the fourth-years. His request was fought by Professor Dumbledore as he expected it would be but in the end he won out over the old Transfigurations teacher.

Minerva prepared for her Monday classes the same way she did everything else, with proficiency and ease. She was one of the first girls in her dorm to rise and wash up. By the time the other girls were beginning to stir she sat on her bed, mirror floating before her, pinning her hair back. She held a bobby-pin between her lips as she worked her hair back into a tight twisted bun.

"Morning Minerva." A girl with long blonde hair said groggily as she rubbed at her eyes. Minerva nodded in her direction; only muttering a good morning once she'd finished putting the bobby-pin in her hair.

Minerva was far from a vain girl. She was proud of who she was and how she looked but she did not fret over her appearance. She believed one should look appropriate but doting over ones appearance was not necessary. If people could not like her for who she was they were not worth bothering with.

"What class do you have this morning?" One of her dorm mates asked.

"Charms." She stated simply as she stood from the bed, her white under top and panties showing off the rather nice lean frame she had. She turned and pushed open her trunk, digging out an emerald dress which she slipped on over her head. "What about you?" She asked as she smoothed out her dress.

Conversation often went like that where Minerva was concerned. It was civil, cordial but uninteresting. If the fourth year girl was honest with herself she was a rather dull person. It was unfortunate really seeing as she had the potential to be quite fun. But she knew what she wanted and in order to get it she would have to work hard; which left little room for goofing off constantly like many of the other students in her year.

Minerva took her seat and set out her things when the door opened quite unexpectedly. She looked up quickly and eyed the boy who had entered. She recognized him as a third year Slytherin but couldn't remember his name. The boy locked eyes with her and held it for quite a long moment. She shifted uncomfortably before looking back down at her things. She heard he boy state that he would be joining their class for the rest of the term.

Tom climbed the steps and slid in besides the witch he was keeping an eye on. She glanced at him and he smiled his most charming smile. She nodded in greeting a little nervously before looking back towards the professor. His charming smile turned to a slight smirk as he to turned his attention to the professor.

Minerva was having trouble concentrating. She kept hesitating to perform the charm practice assigned them. She felt uneasy she noted as she waved her wand in the practice method muttering the incantation under her breath. The boy seated next to her she noted, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, made her nervous. She gasped as the item she was supposed to be shooting across the room and into a box flew right towards her and the boy. In a moment of startled panic she dropped her hand and shielded her face as the item flew towards her. After a moment without impact she opened her eyes to see the large heavy glass vase hovering just inches from her face. She leaned backwards and collapsed feeling the wooden seat against her back. She looked over at the boy who was looking down at her, wand up. His own vase continued to hover in the center of the room, half way towards its destination. He smiled at her and flicked his wand, her vase shooting across the room and landing in the box.

"You really ought to be more careful." He stated extending his hand towards her. It took a moment but she accepted it and stood back up. "Would be a pity if you hurt yourself."

Minerva cleared her throat and raised her wand and muttered a quiet thanks before beginning the practice again.

Tom grinned as he send his own vase into the box.

Minerva sat with the blonde haired girl from her dorm at the Gryffindor table. She shook her head as she buttered her bread.

"I don't know Poppy." She said with a sigh, setting the bread down onto her plate. "There's just something about him." She said as a chill ran down her spine. "He gives me the willies."

Poppy glanced behind her, chewing on her own piece of bread as she gazed at the Slytherin boy. She shrugged her shoulders and looked back at her friend.

"I don't know. He seems like a fine kid to me." She smiled. "Kind of cute if you ask me."

"I didn't."

"Maybe he's interested in you."

Minerva started and dropped her fork frowning at the blonde girl who giggled.

"Didn't you notice that he's in all of your classes?"

"Yes!" Minerva hissed. "And in every last one of them he sits right next to me! I don't think he's interested in me, not in the way you mean at least. I don't know, there's just something about him that gives me the creeps."

Minerva shot a paranoid glanced towards the Slytherin table and started slightly when she noticed that the boy was starring back at her. Her cheeks flamed and she quickly returned her gaze to her plate.

This pattern continued for several months. Tom continued to sit with Minerva in every class and scope out her abilities. He found her rather extraordinary. She was rather powerful but her powers were being held back by her academic studies. If given the chance to really let lose he didn't doubt she could have some very destructive powers.

As time dragged on Minerva began growing more and more paranoid. Where ever she went the boy was never to far away. She would spot him out of the corner of her eye and sometimes when she would turn to look he would be gone. It was beginning to make her jumpy. She thought several times about going to the Headmaster about it thinking that the boy maybe stalking her but decided against it. He hadn't really done anything to her besides creep her out a bit. She was just being stupid.

"You seem distracted tonight Minerva."

The young witch blinked and turned her attention to the bearded professor behind the desk. She shook her head clearing her thoughts.

"Oh, no I was just…" She sighed. "Yes sir." She set her wand down atop her book and stood up. She'd been taking extra tutoring lessons from Professor Dumbledore in order to practice more complicated Transfigurations than what she'd been being taught in her classes.

She walked around her desk and approached the Professors.

"I'm sorry professor, I've just been a bit preoccupied recently."

He nodded, having obviously picked up on her occupied mind over the last few weeks.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me Minerva?"

She leaned her hip against his desk as she braced herself on her left hand. She thought about it for a moment.

"Its just…." She sighed and turned to face him fully. "There is this boy who has been following me around recently and he is really beginning to make me nervous." She didn't mention the boys name because she didn't want to get him trouble incase it was really nothing.

"Has he approached you?"

"Well…no not really. We're in class together and he sits with me but that's not really what's got me nervous. Its just, whenever I'm in the dinning hall I'll see him starring at me. Or when I'm walking down the corridors I'll pass him or I'll pause and find him not to far behind me." She pressed a hand against her collar bone and sighed shaking her head. "I'm being silly aren't I?"

Dumbledore looked at her seriously. She seemed genuinely disturbed.

"Not at all. You are a young woman who has always been very sharp and perceptive."

Recognizing the tone in the professors voice she stood up straighter a bit nervous that she'd said to much.

"He hasn't done anything to me Professor honest."

"That may be but if he is making you so nervous it would be wise to put it to an end." He stood and walked around the desk eyeing the witch fondly. "You have good instincts Minerva. You must learn to trust them."

"Yes sir."

Despite what Professor Dumbledore had said Minerva was confident that the boy had no intention of doing anything to her and thus didn't say anything about it again. She continued trying to ignore him and it seemed to be working until Halloween night.

Minerva stood from the Gryffindor table. She smiled at Poppy who gave her a curious look.

"To many sweets. I'll end up getting sick if I don't leave now." She said with a humorous chuckle. "Don't know when to stop. I'll see you in the dorm room." She said waving at her friend before climbing over the bench and heading out of the Great Hall.

It was still early and everyone was still celebrating so the halls were virtually empty save for the random straggler or couple snogging in a corner. Minerva walked along the corridors worrying about the possible stomach ache she'd have in the morning when a hand shot out from a darkened alcove and caught her by the wrist. She gasped and let out a slight squeak as she was forcefully pulled into the alcove, back pressed up against the wall.

"Who….? what are you…?" She gasped out before looking down at the slightly shorter person. It was the Slytherin boy. She felt her heart beat speed up and her stomach tighten and coil nervously as anxiety built up in her chest; and it was not the good kind of anxiety. "Tom!" She snapped. She glanced down, he still had her wrist. "What are you doing!" She snapped as she started trying to wring her wrist from his grip, but he only tightened his grip and she gasped as his fingers pinched her skin.

"I've been meaning to talk to you." He said simply, civilly as though they were discussing the weather over afternoon tea. "I've been keeping an eye on you and have come to the conclusion that you are quite an extraordinary witch, even despite your half-blood status."

She winced as she looked down at him, only half listening to what he was saying as she was focusing on getting him to release her hand and cursing herself for leaving her wand in her dorm. If she'd had it she could have jinxed the little creeper into next Tuesday.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

She gasped as he stepped closer, their bodies nearly touching. She was forced to look down her nose at him as he looked up at her. How could someone shorter than her make her feel so incredibly powerless and small?

"You have power Minerva McGonagall, power you yourself have yet to tap into." Despite holding one of her wrists in an iron grip his other hand came up to stroke her face. She gasped and tried to slap him but he grabbed her other hand and forcefully pinned her hands beside her head. "You don't even realize it do you?" He asked. Despite the calm in his voice the intensity behind his words was frightenly obvious.

Minerva gasped clenching her eyes closed as he leaned forward, his body pressing against hers, his lips resting near her ear. "Imagine what great things you could accomplish. The things we could accomplish together." He whispered.

"You're hurting me!" She gasped squirming as she tried to break his grip. She had never thought herself really physically weak but the boy assaulting her sure made her feel weak.

Tom grinned slightly, his grip tightening, his lips brushing against her ear just slightly.

"I wouldn't dream of it." He whispered before he was suddenly gone. She blinked and rubbed at her wrists, gazing at the boy who had stepped back out of the alcove. She looked at him with a mixture of trepidation and anger. "Think about it Minerva. We could be great together." And with that he turned and walked away.

After that Tom didn't bother Minerva again. He dropped out of all of the fourth year classes and stopped gawking at Minerva during meals in the Great Hall. If their paths did cross he pretended that she didn't even exist. Minerva was highly grateful and unnerved by the sudden development. She vaguely wondered if perhaps one of the teachers had learned of what had happened and done something. Of course that made her wonder if anyone had been witness to his assault because she hadn't told anyone. She couldn't tell anyone. She didn't think anyone would believe her if she told them that she was horribly afraid of Tom Morvolo Riddle; Tom Riddle a third-year student.

THE END

**Authors Note: I really have nothing to say except this: Riddle is a CREEPER!**


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